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Why hire nearly a million temporary census takers[1] every ten years? Even private companies have databases with far more detailed and more frequent demographic
by pdog 9y ago
Why hire nearly a million temporary census takers[1] every ten years? Even private companies have databases with far more detailed and more frequent demographic and psychographic information on every person in the United States.
[1]: https://www.census.gov/history/www/faqs/agency_history_faqs/how_many_census_takers_are_needed_to_conduct_the_census.html https://www.census.gov/history/www/faqs/agency_history_faqs/...
- GavinMcG 9y agoWell we need some independent way to regularly reapportion representatives, if we're going to stick with a system of geographically-based representation.
- GavinMcG 9y agoAlso, if you're suggesting that we don't need to literally go door-to-door counting people, you're not alone. Many people argue that statistics will give us a better measure than one that has the flaws of in-person data collection. The problem is that the U.S. Constitution says the following: > which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The key word is Enumeration. That arguably means counting, one-by-one, rather than making a statistical estimation.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- maxlybbert 9y agoIt's not entirely "the same old way." There have been some improvements since 1790.